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Aug 11, 2018

New Zealand to ban single-use plastic bags

New Zealand will ban and phase out single-use plastic bags over the next
year to protect marine life, the country's prime minister announced
Friday.

In her announcement with Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage,
Prime Minister Jacinda Arden said her constituents want action on the
proliferation of plastic bags. She noted some 65,000 people in New
Zealand signed a petition this year for an "outright ban" on the bags.

The decision will have environmental implications, Arden said.

"Every year in New Zealand we use hundreds of millions of single-use
plastic bags -- a mountain of bags, many of which end up polluting our
precious coastal and marine environments and cause serious harm to all
kinds of marine life, and all of this when there are viable alternatives
for consumers and business," she said.

Sage said she was confident residents would embrace the move.

"New Zealanders are proud of our country's clean, green reputation and
we want to help ensure we live up to it. Phasing out single-use plastic
bags helps do that," Sage said.

Chris Wilklinson, the managing director for business consulting firm
First Retail Group, backed the decision. It will level the playing field
between big and small businesses, Wilson told the New Zealand Herald.

"While the key players in the retail sector have been moving quickly and
decisively to shift consumers away from plastic bags, many smaller
retailers have not had the same appetite -- often for fear consumers
will respond negatively," Wilkinson said.

The government is soliciting feedback through Sept. 14 for people to
share their thoughts on when the phase-out should end, what bags the ban
should target and whether some businesses should be exempt.